Purpose

To consider granting permission to commence procurement of an Electoral Management System and electoral printing contract for the new electoral registration areas of West Surrey.

Decision

RESOLVED That

(i)         the statutory responsibilities for electoral registration and election delivery that rest with the Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer respectively be noted;

(ii)        it be noted that West Surrey Council must provide the funding and resources required to enable the Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer to discharge their functions;

(iii)        it be noted that, subject to the Shadow Executive’s approval of recommendations 4-8, migration costs would be drawn from the LGR budget;

(iv)       the principle of procuring and implementing a single Electoral Management System for West Surrey Council to support the safe and lawful delivery of electoral registration and elections from vesting day be agreed;

(v)        it be agreed that the preferred procurement route for the West Surrey Electoral Management System was via direct award through a framework agreement, with an initial contract term of three years and a one-year optional extension;

(vi)       the principle of procuring and implementing a single electoral print supplier for West Surrey Council, to align with the single Electoral Management System and support the production of statutory electoral documents, be agreed;

(vii)       it be agreed that the preferred procurement route for the West Surrey electoral print contract was an open tender, with an initial contract term of two years and a one-year optional extension;

(viii)      it be agreed that the interim S151 officer for West Surrey would ensure the financial implications of the new contracts were reflected in the 2027/28 budget as part of the budget setting process; and

(ix)       it be agreed that Section 24 consent be granted for any existing sovereign authorities to enter into a new 12 month contract with their existing providers of electoral management software where the terms of their existing contract could not be extended to 31/3/28 whilst a procurement for the new system was undertaken.